I hardly know where to begin after reading Bishop Charles Chaput’s response to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s October 26th report “Stolen Childhoods”, an article cataloging devastating and ongoing consequences of one priest’s sexual abuse of children. The bishop seemed to take exception at how few times the church’s good deeds were mentioned.

The bishop does not understand that no matter how hard he tries to spin this, the church can never claim the role of the wounded party. He begins with how “harsh” the 2011 Grand Jury report was. That report was truthful and accurate, which made it horrific, but not harsh. Harsh is the word to use when you believe someone has punished you more severely than you believe you deserved. This report wasn’t even a punishment, only a revelation. Perhaps Bishop Chaput is thinking ahead to the release of all the other Grand Jury reports on clergy sexual abuse in the rest of Pennsylvania’s Catholic Diocese.

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